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Nightclubs agree to new rules to curb violent incidents

A Minneapolis city council member says several downtown Minneapolis night clubs have agreed to stop hosting all-age concerts on Sunday nights for the summer. Police say the majority of violent incidents in the warehouse district so far this year have been committed on Sundays near the targeted clubs.

Over the first six months of this year, 217 violent incidents including one homicide, have been committed in an area that contains the majority of downtown's entertainment-oriented businesses. The majority of crimes have occurred in an area near Hennepin Ave. between 4th and 5th streets.

Police say the crimes are responsible for 80 percent of the weekend violence that's occurring downtown.

Council member Don Samuels said has witnessed the problem firsthand and has met with some of the club owners. He said club owners who host all-age events agreed to follow some new rules, including hiring uniformed security and off-duty police officers.

"They will also institute criminal background checks for all of their staff," Samuels said "And the clubs in question will explore the use of what is called the '86 list' which is a 'do not admit list.' "

The Minneapolis City Council will consider an ordinance change that would make it easier to put conditions on liquor licenses of clubs that don't follow the new rules, such conditions would include separating underage clubgoers from those who can legally drink alcohol.

Minneapolis City Council President Barb Johnson said the ordinances will be formally introduced when the council meets Friday.

"These conditions could include, among other things, stricter rules on separating legal drinkers from non-drinkers, underage customers," Johnson said. Or, should circumstances dictate, prohibitions on admitting any customers under the age of 21."